Growth strategy: Establish and succeed in North America

Priority 1: North America is the world's largest allergy market, with over 50 million allergy sufferers, and it offers ALK the greatest medium-term growth potential. For example, there are around 10 million AIT-eligible allergy sufferers in the USA alone, just one-third of whom actually receive AIT today.

Nevertheless, current industry dynamics offer ALK a unique window of opportunity. A trend towards allergy self-medication such as over-the-counter (OTC) symptom-suppressants, along with patent expiries for other important treatments, has resulted in large pharma companies choosing to de-prioritise partnering with allergists. However, ALK is perfectly positioned to fill this void via its newly formed commercial organisation and strong business to business (B2B) sales model in North America which has long fostered strong relationships with specialists.

Central to success will be using ALK's expertise and shared interests with allergists to drive better access and outcomes for all AIT-eligible patients, reaching out with support, disease information and treatment options via specialist sales representatives, digital platforms, and via referral systems that encourage them to consult an allergist. ALK's new house dust mite SLIT-tablet will play a pivotal role in this strategy.

During the past year, ALK has built a local pharma organisation in North America on top of its existing allergenic extracts business – almost quadrupling its field-force to 80 people – and has gained a deep understanding of the overall allergy and respiratory market and its structural barriers. Using a highly targeted, commercial approach building on an understanding of the businesses of the most relevant allergy specialists, ALK will demonstrate how the tablets can expand the number of patients who benefit from AIT, reinforcing and revitalising the role of allergy specialists.

"Our goal is to build an effective future growth platform for our core products and to leverage our profound expertise more effectively, engaging with patients earlier in their disease so that we can service many more people than we do today", says CEO & President Carsten Hellmann.